Storming drive nets Lancaster fastet lap

Jon Lancaster’s hopes of a return to the podium were thwarted in the latest rounds of the Formula 3 Euroseries at Catalunya last weekend, although the Leeds driver secured the fastest lap in race two and remains top Briton in the hotly contested championship. The 19 year-old F3 rookie began his weekend with a good pace in Thursday’s test sessions around the Spanish track.

In the first free practice on Friday the Multiflight-backed teenager had just one run on old tyres prior to being sidelined with a gearbox problem which forced him to sit out the remainder of the session. In qualifying on Saturday Jon struggled with understeer in the opening minutes of the session prompting a trip to the pits for a change to the set-up on his ART Grand Prix Dallara.

After rejoining the session, the BRDC Superstar struggled to find a clear track as he attempted to build on his quick first and second sector times but such are the Circuit de Catalunya’s characteristics, he was unable to find a way past, losing him valuable time and resulting in the 21st quickest time.

"I came into the pits to change the set-up slightly as I was struggling with understeer," said Jon. "When I went back out, the car was better, although with a little bit of oversteer but it was good in the first two sectors and I was hopeful of a good time. But, for the last three laps I caught traffic and just wasn’t able to get the final sector right so it wasn’t a very good start to the weekend."

Following qualifying, Brendon Hartley was penalised and dropped five grid places, moving Jon up to the inside of the tenth row in 20thplace. As the cars lined up for the start of race one, Jon made one of his blinding starts, avoiding a four-car battle ahead to nip up the inside going into the first corner and gaining ten places in the process.

"I made a great start but ahead of me there were four cars spread out across the track. I tried to keep out their way but then going into the first corner, I was able nip up the inside of them plus a few others, and came out in tenth."

With his car now handling better Jon stayed with ninth-placed Edoardo Mortara, putting pressure on him for the duration of the remaining laps. With the former running far less wing, Jon was much slower than him on the straights and despite a move three laps from home, was unable to pass him as he went on to finish tenth at the flag.

"I managed to stay with Mortara and about three laps from home he made a mistake so I had a look at getting past. However the straight just wasn’t quite long enough for me to get him going into the chicane and when he made the mistake I tried to pass him but he squeezed me wide so I had to back out."

Starting Sunday’s race two from tenth on the grid, Jon had high hopes of a top six finish after being satisfied with the handling of his car in the previous day’s race. However as the pack filed into the first corner at the start, Jon went to brake and found himself locking up and running up the escape road.

"I’ve no idea what happened. For some reason the brake bias had been turned towards the front, meaning that when I applied the brakes, both front wheels locked up. I took my foot off the brake and tried again but every time I did so, the wheels locked up again and I found myself running wide off the slip road. It must have been a faulty sensor or something and I spent the first few laps sorting that out."

The resultant excursion forced Jon down to dead last but a searing pace over the remaining laps netted Jon the fastest race lap, some four tenths faster than the leaders. With the delay, Jon was unable to pick off many cars ahead, but took some consolation from the pace of his car which resulted in him easily the quickest on the track in the closing stages of the race.

"After I’d managed to sort out the brakes the car was fantastic, probably the best it’s ever been and it was great to drive over the course of the second race. Although the results weren’t there at the end, it’s great to have been the fastest driver on the day and now if we can keep that momentum going through into the next race, hopefully we can be back at the top of the pile next time out."

Jon maintains his place as top Briton in the championship but has dropped to second in the rookies standings although only four points adrift of the leader. 

http://www.jonlancasterracing.com

- Cathy Metcalfe -